Prabal Gurung Wants You! The Designer Takes on Military for Fall 2013

At a time when most of America is just getting to know Prabal Gurung's signature prints by way of his sure-to-sell-out Target collection, the designer seemed keen to showcase a different, stricter, more somber side of himself for Fall 2013.
This season, Gurung's woman exuded power and control.

At a time when most of America is just getting to know Prabal Gurung's signature prints by way of his sure-to-sell-out Target collection, the designer seemed keen to showcase a different, stricter, more somber side of himself for Fall 2013.

This season, Gurung's woman exuded power and control. The first look, an olive drab cargo pant and peplum top look, which was styled, established the collection's military inspiration, which let Gurung play out some of the collection's more aggressive motifs--pieces inspired by literal armor such as the harnesses, gladiator boots, and militaristic outerwear.

There was power in the evningwear, too. The silk frocks, slashed at the thighs and shoulders and draped just-so, were sexy to the core without being supplicant.

According to WWD, Gurung was inspired by the recent measures the U.S. military has taken to adapt their uniforms and gear (originally made for men) to their growing number of female troops.

“It came back to this idea of empowerment,” he said. “Traditionally, we tend to look at men’s uniforms and then redesign, but this was very much focused on women.”

But an empowered woman needn't give up her femininity: Peplums, ruffles, and delicate prints, few though they were, made this an unmistakably womanly collection.

Prabal Gurung has really started to settle in to an identifiable aesthetic with this latest collection. It's beautiful cocktail wear--jackets with tails, drop waist dresses with ruffled tulle skirts, airy tunics--but with a dark streetwise edge. (For evidence of that dark side see the dripping blood manicures the models sported.) There were neoprene sweatshirts, low-slung pants and filmy slinky layering tanks mixed in with the party dresses.

When Karlie stomped out in that elegantly tarty one-shouldered red dress, I knew the audience was in for another powerful collection from Prabal Gurung.
Moving away from the structured dresses he's become well known for, the designer took more risks, incorporating lace, extravagantly woven knits, and dip-dyed fur in combos of white and red and white and purple.
My favorite looks were the ones that stayed true to his strong-girl aesthetic: the fitted black techno wool cloqué dress adorned with Swarovski crystalsand ostrich feathers on the chest and shoulders; the silver and ivory hand-painted silk chiffon and organza braided gown; the frilly red blouse with pink boot cut trousers and a black belt tying it all together.
One complaint: I wish Gurung would have included more day wear. Last season there was such a great mix of dramatic daytime pieces and glamorous gowns: This season, it was pretty much all glamorous gowns. And while his customer will certainly needs a few red carpet worthy garments, she surely likes to wear Prabal all day long.
**Photos by Imaxtree.